A Nightmare Beyond Description

[Doc1647545523]

A type of "Locked-In Syndrome," this paralysis left this young man so completely paralyzed that he was believed to be in a coma, essentially what most people would call a "vegetable."

 

But he was conscious, aware, the whole 23 years but unable to communicate in any way.

 

A diagnosis missed repeatedly by his numerous doctors.

 

I can't imagine the nightmare this must have been for him.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/6632518/Conscious-man-in-coma-for-23-years.html

[wnaplay1647545503]

I dont even want to read it. That sounds horrible.

[Alex L.]

I wonder how common this kind of thing is.

[Doc1647545523]

In the U.S., perhaps a few thousand cases a year that are recognized. Who knows how many are not correctly diagnosed?

 

Here is a reference to some notable cases: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locked-in_syndrome

[TTQ B4U]

I see where he's "communicating" and reading, but I wonder how he'll progress.

[Doc1647545523]

It sounds as though he's making some progress--a miracle considering the therapy started 23 years later than it should have. The Wikipedia link above mentions some high tech devices tailored to aid people with this condition.

 

I believe the first few hundred words I'd type out would be words directed at my idiot doctors who missed the diagnosis ..... words you wouldn't find in the Bible.

[Richard Cranium]

I'm surprised after all that time he would not have gone insane.

[sol740]

That's so fucking sad I don't know what to say.

[KillJoy]

I saw this earlier on Yahoo.....

 

FUCK THAT!

 

I would rather be dead....

 

KillJoy

[thorne]

I'm with killjoy

[oh8sti]

i heard about this, makes me want to punch the doctors involved.

[unfunnyryan]

Its like Johnny Got His Gun, but 23 years longer.

 

Thats pretty terrible. Laying there with no way to express you are mentally alive, for longer than I've been alive. Wow.

Edited November 24, 2009 by unfunnyryan

[morabu]

that's sad as fuck, i would have went insane.

it makes me wonder how many people are out there right now with this condition, and how many people we've killed while being in that state.

[Main3s]

i heard about this, makes me want to punch the doctors involved.

 

You can't you're paralyzed remember!

 

 

And yeah that would suck. Because you know his parents sat in there and talked to him. Imagine what he must have heard, we love you, we miss you. Maybe they confessed shit to him, who knows 23 years is a long ass time. What the doctors must have talked about in front of him, not knowing that he could hear it all. I mean, WOW… Then think about the conversations on whether or not to pull the plug. “Oh he can’t hear us doc, I don’t want my child to go through that, lets just end it”… That’s some crazy shit.

[CRed05]

Terrible.

 

He can still breath on his own right? Could he have not tried to communicate by breathing faster/louder/deeper/harder?

[greg1647545532]

If you're bored and interested, a member of another forum I'm on has locked-in syndrome from a stroke 10 years ago. Here's a thread where he takes questions about his condition/life:

 

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=539322

 

I had no idea LIS existed until I saw that thread. The fact that he can type with his eyes and still be a part of the world via the internet is pretty incredible. I can't imagine suffering through that even a decade ago.

[CRed05]

^Just looking at his name on there, looks like he has a sense of humor.